


weddings and zucchini bread

by ohmyhiddles



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Character Study, Kinda, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), My First Fanfic, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Resolved Sexual Tension, Suicide mention, Weddings, Wish me luck, also kinda - Freeform, barely but i just wanted to be sure, basically just steve fucking around in new jersey, but not a lot, if you're here for lots a stony you'll probably be a little dissapointed, its still stony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 09:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17957585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmyhiddles/pseuds/ohmyhiddles
Summary: Standing in the corner of the reception, near the door, he swears to himself that nothing bad will happen to Tony on this day. His Tony—who is not really his but he lets himself dream—whose brown eyes alight with fire when he talks about his bots or latest project, who rarely smiles anymore but when he does, the sun dims in comparison.His Tony who is now talking with tears in his eyes as he gazes upon his beautiful new spouse who is definitely not Steve. Which is fine.It is.





	weddings and zucchini bread

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starksnack](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/gifts).



> Wow look at me, finally posting a fic after 5 years of having an account!  
> This is for my irl and online bff Kaitlin because I love her so much and she's the only reason I got this done. She was also my beta for this fic so if you find any mistakes blame her not me ;)  
> I don't know what else to say so I'll just shut up and let you read.  
> Enjoy :) 
> 
> -Avery

Tony and Pepper look absolutely radiant tonight, each of them basking in the beauty of the other. Even from Steve’s limited viewpoint in the back of the hall, he can see Tony’s smile in excruciating detail. He looks the happiest he’s ever been despite the undercurrent of sadness his smile carries as though he feels this won’t last. Steve’s heart breaks for him because Tony deserves all the happiness in the world and Steve will make sure he gets it no matter what. Even if that means putting aside his own selfish desire for Tony to love him back. 

When Pepper asked Steve to be a bodyguard at her and Tony’s wedding, he immediately jumped at the chance. Things between Tony and him have been dicey--they can tolerate the other’s presence for a while but their conversations are stilted and awkward, carrying none of the original sincerity or depth that they used to. Steve knows he lost that privilege the moment he decided not to sign the Accords but that doesn’t lessen the sting every time Tony flinches if he gets too close to him. He misses Tony like a limb he never knew he had until he lost it. When it was announced in the papers that Tony had proposed, Steve’s heart leapt for him because no one deserves a happy ending like Tony Stark. 

Planning for the wedding was everyone’s distraction from the horror of the Snap. Everything was broadcasted on the news, from the proposal itself to Pepper trying on her dresses. The public was mad for it, sending their best wishes to the happy couple and some even sent wedding gifts. There were a few poisonous comments about how they should be focusing on rebuilding after they’ve lost so much but generally, people were thankful for the distraction. 

Steve didn’t know how hard it was going to be to get through until all the Avengers got invitations--except him. He understood--no matter how much it hurt--and he still does; he hurt Tony more than anyone ever has. He gets it. 

But, god, it’s torture. 

Standing in the corner of the reception, near the door, he swears to himself that nothing bad will happen to Tony on this day. His Tony—who is not really his but he lets himself dream—whose brown eyes alight with fire when he talks about his bots or latest project, who rarely smiles anymore but when he does, the sun dims in comparison. 

His Tony who is now talking with tears in his eyes as he gazes upon his beautiful new spouse who is definitely not Steve. Which is fine. 

It is. 

Thankfully, the ceremony goes smoothly, just as stunning and heartfelt as everyone hoped. When Tony and Pepper kissed, he felt nothing but joy for seeing Tony so happy. And if the kiss did send a harsh jolt of pain through Steve’s sternum, who was to know but him? The reception was just as lovely, if not more so, as the newlyweds stuffed cake in the other’s face, laughing together as if there was no one else in the world. 

Steve had hoped he would be the one to share that with Tony but he fucked that up. Just like he always does. 

Natasha comes up to him near the end of dinner, her eyes somber like everyone else’s despite the small smile that curls her lips. 

“Holding the fort there, Rogers?” she asks playfully, nudging him softly. 

He attempts a smile in return but the look on Nat’s face tells him he failed. Before she can comment, he interupts her. 

“I’ve never seen Tony so happy,” he says genuinely. “Everything’s gone wonderfully.”

Her brow crinkles with a frown. “Steve--,” she starts.

Steve just pushes his pained smile through. “So wonderfully that I may turn in early. It’s been a long day.” 

He presses a kiss to Nat’s forehead despite her protests and walks away without another word. He thinks he may hear her call after him and his pace quickens automatically. The moment his face touches the fresh air, he gulps it in, filling his lungs with it like he never could when he was small. It’s moments like these that he’s grateful for the serum and the freedom it allows him. Back when he was young, a deep breath in meant a full five minutes of coughing and probably pneumonia. Now, it just provides comfort.

He takes time to admire the location that Tony and Pepper chose; the rolling green hills freckled with daisies and a lush green forest beyond it. They’re just an hour outside of the city, not too far from the Avengers’ compound--something Steve remembers Pepper being anxious about but ended up agreeing on. She was probably just as stunned with its beauty as Steve is now. 

If Bucky were here, he’d tease Steve for being sappy, like he used to when they were kids when Steve would fawn over a painting. 

If Sam were here, he’d just smile and allow Steve’s wonder, sending teasing glances over at Bucky once and a while. 

But they’re not here. Just like the other half of the world, they were taken from him and he has no idea how to get them back. His chest aches for them. Without them, he’s alone. Nat is still around sometimes, so is Bruce and Thor, but they’re all just as tired and worn from the war as he is. He hardly sees Tony anymore and now that he’s married, he’ll probably never see Tony. The marriage was basically a resignation from the team if the Snap wasn’t enough already. 

When Tony came back from space in a foreign craft and a blue android as a companion, he’d been wrecked with grief and defeat. The loss of the boy, Peter, was devastating for him. Steve remembers as clear as a bell the blankness on Tony’s face when he recanted what happened on Titan, the emptiness of his voice, of his eyes.    
It was more terrifying than anything Thanos could have done to them. 

He had gone up to Tony to try and talk to him but once the engineer flinched when he approached him, Steve knew it was the end. He had apologized quickly and hollowly and never attempted it again. 

God, he was such a coward. He hasn’t spoken to Tony since that day. He couldn’t even congratulate him on his wedding. What kind of frie--what kind of teammate does that? Not a good one, that’s for fucking sure. 

When Steve comes back to himself, he’s surrounded by trees and the sun is low in the sky. Shit, he must’ve been wandering longer than he thought he was. Cursing at himself, he turns around to try and find his way through the wood. He just breaks through the trees when his enhanced hearing picks up on a voice calling his name. 

The shields Shuri made for him slice out from under the sleeves of his tux, silent but deadly. He continues to walk but his ears are focused on the small voice. It sounds like Tony. 

Wait, Tony? 

He squints in the direction he heard the voice and makes out a figure breaking through the forest, running at him. 

His heart stops as the smaller man skids to a halt in front of him, his suit jacket open with his tie and hair askew. Tony still looks beautiful even with sweat glistening on his forehead like he just ran a marathon. 

The engineer is taking large gulps of air as Steve oggles at him. “You, Steve Rogers…,” he takes another deep breath, “...are a hard man to find.” 

Tony said something. Tony  _ said something. _ To  _ Steve.  _ He said something to Steve directly instead of through someone else. 

“Uh,” Steve says intelligently.  _ Uh? _ Is he fucking serious? “I thought you were at the party.” 

Tony raises a dark eyebrow. “Yeah but you left. How are we supposed to keep safe when my bodyguard leaves?” 

Guilt crashes through him like a tidal wave and catches any words he had left in his throat. The silence that hovers between them is uncomfortable to say the least, making Steve fidget. He’s never been good at conversation, even before he was a big hunk of muscle. He expressed himself through actions and painting because they were the only ways he really knew how.  

“I’m sorry,” he says with a cough to clear his throat that was suddenly clogging up, “everything was going so well, and I guess I just thought--you didn’t really need--” Shit, why is it so hard to breathe?

He hears Tony’s voice through the roaring in his ears and he shakes his head to focus on him. The blackness that was gathering around his eyes clears to reveal large brown ones glaring intently at him in concern while the roaring lessened enough to hear the smooth roughness of the other man’s voice. 

“Steve,  _ Steve,  _ hey, it’s okay. You’re okay, just breathe for me, sweetheart, just breathe.” 

He comes to with his knees pressed in the damp grass and a calloused hand rubbing circles on the small of his back. 

“That’s it, handsome, keep breathing.”

Hearing Tony’s voice has never brought so much calm to Steve than this moment. Ignoring the annoying voice in the back of his head telling him to leave Tony alone, he relishes in the presence of the engineer. A presence he craves more than healthy lungs. 

About five minutes pass before Tony stiffens next to him. He raises his head in confusion only to find that he raised it from the  _ crook of Tony’s neck _ . Repulsed by himself, he scampers away gracelessly, an apology slipping past his lips before he can stop it. 

“No it’s--,” Tony clears his throat, “it’s fine, Steve.” 

They sit on the grass with two feet between them, Steve keeping his arms firmly against his body. It’s clear Tony has nothing to say and Steve feels at a loss for words as well. His brain is fucking  _ empty,  _ and he’s completely blowing the one chance he may have at talking to Tony about anything. 

The silence in unbearable and Steve stands quickly to prevent its oppressive omnipresence from suffocating him. Tony stands too, seemingly caught on the unawares. 

This is as good an opening as ever. 

“I’m tired,” he says. 

Fuck. 

Tony grimaces slightly before smirking although it holds no sincerity. “You trying to run off before congratulating me, old man?” 

That sends another rush of remorse over Steve. “No--no, of course not,” he stutters before taking a deep breath. He forces his face into what he hopes is a genuine smile. “Congratulations, Tony. I’m so glad you found someone you’re happy with.” 

Tony’s face twitches with something that looks almost like pain but it’s gone before Steve can put a name to it. The groom grins but it seems as forced as Steve’s. 

“Thanks, Cap.” 

Cap--the closest Steve is going to get in regards to Tony saying his name. Informal yet impersonal just like everything Steve loathes about the current state of his relationship with the other man. 

He makes the quick executive decision to leave before his heart can break even more under Tony’s scrutinizing gaze. As he turns away, however, his sleeve is caught in Tony’s hand. 

“What are you gonna do now?” he asks. 

The question sends Steve reeling. Like he would know. Without the Avengers, without his family, he has nothing to hold on to and keep him afloat. The team has been his distraction since coming out of the ice nearly eight years ago. Without them, he’s a soldier with no army, a person with no purpose. He supposes he could try to find a way to bring everyone they lost back but without any support, he has no idea where to start. Suddenly, the future seems very frightening. 

But it’s Tony’s wedding day and he shouldn’t be burdened by Steve’s hopelessness. So Steve shrugs in an attempt to appear nonchalant. 

“Something useful, I hope.” 

He waits a moment for Tony to reply but the engineer stays silent, releasing his jacket when he appears to realize he’s still holding it. Steve takes another step away from him, releasing a breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

“Have a nice honeymoon, Tony. And a wonderful life.” 

That seemed to knock some sense into Tony because again, as Steve starts walking again, he grabs his wrist in a vice grip. 

“This isn’t goodbye is it?” If Steve didn’t know any better, he’d say Tony sounds desperate. 

But he does, and he knows Tony is only trying to be polite. So he does the polite thing back and smiles warmly at him. 

“That’s up to you, Tony.” 

Before the engineer can respond, Natasha’s voice rings across the field. 

“Am I taking you home or what, Steve?” 

Steve responds with a quick yes before turning back on Tony. “See you later,” he says and before his brain can stop his body, he leans down and presses a soft kiss to Tony’s forehead. 

The moment he brings his lips back, the strong grip on his wrist is released like Steve burned the other man. Tony’s eyes are wide with shock and probably horror but Steve is too busy avoiding his gaze and  _ getting the fuck out of dodge because holy shit what did he just do.  _

He’s in a daze all the way to Natasha’s car and it takes much longer than it should for her to shake him out of it. 

“What happened?” she asks as they drive away. 

He doesn’t know how to respond so he answers as truthfully and vaguely as he possibly can. “I fucked up.” 

 

He decides to leave New York. The history he has there that used to be a comfort to him now just feels like a prison of memories of everything he’s lost. Everything that he held dear to him is gone so what better time to get a fresh start? 

It doesn’t take him long to make arrangements. He sells his apartment in DC, tidies up his room in the facility, and leaves without a word. He hitchhikes across the state because he didn’t want to take any transports from the compound and telling any of the remaining Avengers is just too painful. 

Halfway through his journey, Steve decides that he likes hitchhiking. Many of the vehicles he’s caught a ride on are trucks, transporting goods from state to state, and he discovers that while they’re brash and loud, truck drivers make good company. One woman named Roberta picks him up tells him her life story, about her wife she lost in the Battle of New York and her kids that disappeared after the Snap. She’s a surly woman with thick grey hair pulled back into a old baseball cap and wears a dirty jean vest. Every time Steve tries to apologize for the failures of himself and his team, she smacks the back of his head, insisting he “Got nothin’ to apologize for. I couldn’ta done it any better if I tried.” She reminds him oddly of his mother.

Steve adores her. 

He gets off when she reaches her destination in New Jersey and even though she insists she can take him farther, he kisses her on the cheek to walk on his own to the nearest town. Despite his New York blood telling him to move on from Jersey, he figures what better place to settle down than the state where he trained for the army. 

He finds a small motel on the edge of an even smaller town called Cape May. It sits on the beach and although the room is small and mothy, Steve is comfortable. 

As there is barely thirty-five hundred residents in Cape May, it doesn’t take long for Steve to get acquainted with some of the locals. His attempts at being inconspicuous fail almost immediately when the town’s grocer, Tom, recognizes him the first time he goes in for a supply run. He’s a bright old man whose dark skin sometimes looks golden if he catches the right light. He knew instantly who Steve is and despite his obvious excitement at meeting Captain America, the man kept it to himself. 

And if he gave Steve a hearty discount on a bag of plums, no one would know but them. 

Over the course of his stay, Steve finds himself spending most of his time either jogging on the beach or reading in the town library. He continues to wake up at abnormal hours but his runs on the beach have been tremendously helpful in calming even the most violent of his thoughts. The guard that stands watch over the the beach’s boat rental starts letting him get past the locked gate once he realizes who Steve is and says nothing about the lack of pattern of when he shows up. Steve thinks his name is Barry but it’s always so difficult to tell in the dark when he sees him. 

The library is quiet and empty most of the time and the clerk that sits at the desk varies between a young woman named Margo and an elderly woman named Janet. Both appear excited whenever he drops by to pick up a new book or just to bask in the peacefulness the building radiates. Janet brings him a fresh batch of zucchini bread every Sunday once she finds out where he’s staying (Steve thinks the young couple who own the motel ratted him out but he finds that he doesn’t mind that much just because the bread is so good.) Margo gives him book recommendations that he never would have considered on his own and when he finishes a book, they discuss it together over tea. Due to Steve’s accelerated reading skills, these tea-time discussions happen almost daily.  

One morning after a run, when Barry gives him his silent but friendly nod, Steve realizes for the first time in a long time that he’s happy. Or as close to happy as he can get. He thinks about the Avengers--and Tony--often but he finds that it’s mostly fond memories now rather than the harsh ones he used to dream about. 

He decides to reach out to Shuri in Wakanda. They hadn’t parted in good spirits but Steve had wished the young queen good luck before he left and she accepted it graciously. She had sworn to him that she would not rest until she found a way to bring everyone back. Thinking back on it, Steve feels a sharp pinch of regret for not checking in with her sooner to make sure she’s okay. He remembers the fierceness of Okoye and doesn’t believe for a second that the general would let her queen wither away in work but that doesn’t stop him from dialing the number T’Challa gave him years ago. 

It rings for hardly a second before Shuri’s voice floats across the line. 

“Captain Rogers.” She sounds tired, too tired for someone as young as her. “Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, sorry, Your Highness, I was just calling to check in with you. Have you found anything yet?” He holds his breath. 

The young queen only sighs. “I haven’t had a breakthrough in months,” she says hollowly. “It has been hard finding the time to even do research. The country is still rebuilding from our losses as it took us weeks to mourn the death of my brother.” 

Steve clenches his eyes shut. “I’m sorry. If there’s ever anything I can do--”

“You’ve done enough.” He’s sure it wasn’t meant to be as harsh as it sounded but it doesn’t lessen the sting the words cause. 

Another sigh from across the phone. “My apologies, Captain. I did not mean to be so short with you.” 

“No apology needed,” Steve insists. “My offer still stands.”

“Much appreciation, Captain. While this call was a pleasant break, I’m afraid I must attend to something.”

“Of course,” he says. “Call if you ever nee--”

“I assure you, Captain, should Wakanda be in need so dire to warrant your help, I will ask for it.”

Steve flushes. “Of course, Your Highness.” 

He’s about to say goodbye but the line goes dead.             

“Well that could’ve been worse,” he says aloud to his empty room. 

His day goes by normally, for the most part. Some people whisper about him in the supermarket and Margo wouldn’t stop sneaking looks at him like she knew something he didn’t during their book talk but other than that, it was a good day. 

At around five o’clock, Steve hears a knock on his motel room door. He frowns. He’s not expecting any visitors, unless Janet switched the days again and thinks it’s Sunday. 

Sighing, he puts down his book and crosses the room to the door, preparing a polite smile for the elderly lady he’s expecting to see. 

The grin freezes on his face when he sees that it is very much  _ not  _ an old librarian but a Tony Stark. 

A very tired, very  _ angry  _ Tony Stark who snarls the minute Steve has the door open enough to see him. 

“You  _ son of a bitch, _ ” he seethes. “First you have the audacity to leave my wedding early, then you  _ kiss  _ me on my wedding day, and then just pack up and  _ leave? _ Without telling any of us? Do you have any idea how worried we were about you? You’re depressed and silent for weeks, avoiding everybody, then you disappear? We thought you died! We thought you’d--” 

Tony stops, his voice seemingly caught on something. His eyes that were so angry just a moment ago, swim with concern. Although that lasts for only a moment before rage replaces it once more. 

“And you’ve just been fucking around in New Jersey, of all places, this whole goddamn time?”

Steve’s brain is in scrambles as he tries to absorb Tony’s rant. Everything from apologies to defenses shoot across his mind but all he seems to be able to breathe out is:

“Tony.”

All the fury seems to drain out of the other man once Steve speaks. He pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment before looking back up at him. 

“Well, are you going to let me in or what?”

Steve mentally slaps himself, cursing inwardly as he awkwardly shuffles to the side to allow room for Tony to come in. Nerves creep up the back of his neck as he watches the other man walk around the place he’s called home for the past six months. 

“Half a year you’ve been here and this place looks like you moved in an hour ago. How is that possible?”

Steve can’t tell if that’s a compliment or a jibe but either way, the attempt at light conversation ses his teeth on edge. 

“How did you find me, Tony?” he asks softly. 

Tony snorts. “Your BFF Queen Shuri texted me your location the minute you got of the call with her. I asked her to keep a lookout for you in case you ever slipped up but I never thought you’d actually call the fucking Queen of Wakanda for a friendly chat.” 

Steve shrugs bashfully. “She’s young and in charge of a country. I worried about her.” 

Another snort escapes Tony’s mouth. “Figures you worry about someone you barely know over your actual family.” 

Hot rage and guilt war against one another in Steve’s heart at Tony’s words. “I left because I needed a fresh start. Everyone else was trying it out, why can’t I?” 

“Because you have people who need you! You have responsibilities as an Aveng--”

“You want to talk to me about responsibilities as an Avenger?” Steve interrupts with a snarl. “You  _ left! _ ”

Tony scoffs but Steve can tell he hit a nerve. “I got married, Steve, that’s hardly a letter of resignation.” 

Steve clenches his fists against his sides to prevent himself from punching a wall. “It might as well be. We all know how Pepper feels about your superhero business.” 

Tony’s lip twists up. “You don’t get to talk about how Pepper feels.”

Sadness pinches throat and for a moment Steve can’t talk. 

Tony continues. “Even if I was resigning from the team, I would never just jump up and  _ leave  _ without telling anyone and erasing all signs I was ever around in the first place. Were you that miserable with us?”

Steve clenches his jaw tight to let some steam loose. He takes a deep breath in and slumps his shoulders down in defeat. “Why are you here, Tony?” 

The other man seems to sober at the question. “To bring you home.”

“New York isn’t my home anymore.”

“Don’t say that.” Tony’s voice cracks. “Don’t you fucking  _ dare  _ say that to me.”

Steve allows some of his resolve to break. “You know what I see when I walk around the compound? Ghosts, Tony. I can’t turn a corner without thinking of Sam, or Wanda, or Vision, and I  _ couldn’t take it.”  _ He takes a deep breath in and when he starts again, his voice cracks. “Everyone thinks I can just soldier through these things but I  _ can’t! _ Everything that I loved was in New York and I kept losing them. All it is is a reminder of what I couldn’t protect.”

“So you don’t love the rest of the team as much as those we lost? You can’t stick around to protect them?”

“I left  _ because  _ I love them; I couldn’t bare to lose any of them. If I stuck around, they would just disappear and I would be alone again.” Steve takes a moment to let his words sink in to Tony’s head. 

When Tony speaks, it’s soft and timid, nothing like the austentatious man he knows. “What about me?” 

Steve looks up sharply to meet the other man’s eyes, not quite understanding what he said. 

“What about you, Tony?”

“You kept saying ‘them’, not ‘you guys’ as if I’m not a part of the team. So, how do you feel about me?” 

Should Steve tell him? Tony’s married so it’s not as though Steve is going to try anything to jeopardize that and he’s already moved out of Tony’s life enough that it wouldn’t ruin their relationship. Or what remains of their relationship at least. 

Steve uses his nice healthy lungs to take in a deep breath. 

“Losing you would mean the end of the world for me, Tony.”

It’s as if a dam breaks inside of the smaller man because a soft, broken noise escapes his lips and suddenly, Steve is tackled on to the bed with Tony straddling his hips and his mouth attacked by kisses. It takes a good minute or so of Tony’s tongue in Steve’s mouth before Steve realizes what’s happening and pushes Tony off of him in horror. Tony makes an indignant noise as he rolls gracelessly on to the bed. 

“We can’t do this, Tony,” Steve says fervently. “You’re--you’re  _ married,  _ Tony! God--” His hands go to his hair and start pulling. “What were you thinking?”

It took Tony a minute to get his bearings before he looked up at Steve, his beautiful brown eyes large and round. 

“We called it off,” he says somewhat breathlessly and Steve’s poor heart nearly gives out. 

“ _ What? _ ” he heaves. 

Tony clears his throat. “Yeah, uh, Pep and I had a long conversation about it and we both agreed that the marriage would never work if I continued to be an Avenger--which is very important to me.” He pauses, seeming cautious before pushing one. “She also figured she wasn’t the one I was in love with.”

Steve’s heart sinks. Who was Tony in love with if not Pepper? How could there be anyone on this earth that deserves Tony’s affections other than Pepper?

“Was she right?” Steve asked shakily. 

Tony gets off the bed slowly and moves over to where Steve is standing by the door. “Yes,” he breathes. His rough hands reach up to cradle Steve’s face and he doesn’t think he’s felt anything better. “Is this okay?” Tony asks tentatively.

Steve nods, dazed, and leans down to meet Tony in the middle where their lips collide. For a few blissful minutes, it’s nothing but the slow glide of Tony’s lips over Steve’s. Steve’s breath hitches when Tony requests access to farther into his mouth with his tongue and he happily grants it. The smaller man’s lean arms wrap around Steve’s neck as he grips Tony’s hips gently and they maneuver together towards the bed. They kiss for a few more minutes on their sides before Tony pulls away slightly. 

“Don’t think that just because I fully intend to ravish you in a few moments that we are going to forgo talking about this whole mess,” he says sternly down to Steve.

Just the sight of Tony above him is enough to send shivers down Steve’s spine but for now he nods and agrees. They both have very little to say after that. 

The next morning, Steve wakes up more comfortable than he has in his entire life. The sun shines through his window--which is new since he’s usually up before the sun--and warms the sheets around him and the other person in his bed. It takes him just a bit longer than it should for Steve to remember the wonderful night he and Tony shared together. 

Looking down at the other man, Steve can’t help but allow the love he’d been trying to suppress flow through him. Tony looks so soft and young in his sleep; the crows feet around his eyes smoothed out and the crinkles around his mouth softened. 

Steve presses a slow kiss to Tony’s temple, causing the other man to stirr. The engineer blinks bleary brown eyes before looking up at Steve and smiling lopsided. 

“Why hello, handsome,” he says, his voice rough with sleep. 

Steve only smiles softly in return, feeling lighter than he has in years. He leans down and kisses Tony properly, both of them pliant and warm and enjoying the other’s company. 

“We have a lot to talk about,” Steve says against Tony’s lips. Tony nods solemnly, groaning a bit when he pulls back. 

Steve grins. “Would you like to do it over some tea and zucchini bread?”

  
  



End file.
